Very Merry

Happy Christmas/New Year!!!!

Santa was super excellent to me this year, I finally got my paws on a Breville Juicer so green drinks are right around the corner!

I've been at my mothers house in Central Pa for the duration of the Hollydaze until I get to don a super sparkly dress for a New Years Party Bus in Pittsburgh--Can't wait!!!

The Gecko Guy

Attention DC residents!!!!! My big brother Colin is running a Gecko exhibit at the National Geographic Museum! He's there all the time but tomorrow is World Animal Day so

GO VISIT HIM!

Here's a clip of him on the news:

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!!!

As today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, I felt like jotting down some things I'm super grateful for lately.

1. Having half of my family be Canadian, and therefore getting to have two Thankgivings
2. The beautiful weather Pittsburgh has been having these past few days
3. My recent motivation to clean my apartment
4. Candles
5. Living in an area that is so convenient to anything I could possibly need (except for my momma, she's four hours away)
6. Having the means and the time to go to school for Massage Therapy
7. Halloween decorations
8. Hot mulled apple cider
9. Flannel sheets
10. My friends, who put up with my bitching, and listen to my stories far more than anyone should ever have to
11. My mom who just paid a $50 parking ticket for me
12. Pumpkin Pie with maple syrup
13. A vacuum cleaner that WORKS
14. The short and sweet moments that remind me that I'm EXACTLY where I should be
15. Going to my very first STEELERS game this weekend!!!!!
16. The Pittsburgh presence on Twitter
17. Twinkle lights
18. Sleeping in
19. The $10 gift card from Victoria's Secret that just came in the mail
20. Finally having a camera again

Tea Trade

That trainer kicked my tush into gear!

Almost one week later and I'm just now not sore anymore.

We began with cardio, then she had me do lots of tricep work with a medicine ball, tricep pushups, and "rest" activity with a kettlebell to work my core muscles.

ouch!!!!

LUCKILY I received a soul and muscle soothing tea trade package from Alyson from Onyx and Alabaster!

I love that she included beautiful stationary and a sprig of lavender.

Thanks Alyson!!!

Also, thanks to Melita of Gussying Up the Tuttle for organizing the trade again!

Massage Therapy School & 5k

Seattle Sunset

I started classes at Pittsburgh School of Massage Therapy last week and so far so good!

My classes are Principles of Touch, Anatomy and Physiology I, Swedish I, and a class that varies every Thursday afternoon

.

The very first day of Swedish we got to be hands on with our classmates and just get acquainted and cozied up to the idea of touching people.

To quote my partner "I loooooove schooooool"

So now I have to figure out which massage table to purchase.

(and in which price range...eek!)

Also, I recently visited my family in Canada. My nine (NINE!!!!) year old cousin Maddi ran a 5k with her mom. Soooo methinks I have to get my exercising act back together. Luckily I got a call from my gym Urban Active this morning that I won a complementary session with a trainer! So I'm scheduled for that tomorrow afternoon.

Now off to continue the job search, study and ship a tea trade package!

Scenes from Seattle: Microbus Camping Whidbey Island

Seattle Bound!

Realized while packing my suitcase that I've become incomprehensibly high-maintenance.

Shall amend this unfortunate situation immediately.

There's no way I need all this CRAP

Last Weekend

Photos from the wedding of my bff's momma.

Thanks to Jon, Wendy, Larry, Jesika and Ben for a fabulous time!

+1

Son-of-a-Bride!

M of H and Beau

(I could not keep a straight face to save my life)

High and Low

High: NEW CAMERA!!!!!!!!!

Low: The department I work for is getting cut, so as of Sept 15, I will be UNEMPLOYED

.....ALREADY!

FRICK

Say Cheese

I really need to get a new camera, blogging is no fun with old photos

MondayWorkday

So I FINALLY started working!!!!!

So far it's going well. I'm still a bit intimidated as I have boatloads to learn about TSS-ing and Autism. There are ongoing trainings, so I suppose I'll just have to absorb the information in a more timely manner. Today is my first day without supervision so we'll see how it goes.

I went to Animal Friends to see if I could still volunteer without having to go through the orientation process again, it turns out that I can so... YAY!

Hopefully this will cut my summer boredom streak short.

It's kitten season again so they'll definitely need lots of help this time of year.

I'm currently reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and there are SO many passages and phrases in this book that when I'm reading I think "YES!!!"

The latest of which is a quote from the former Catholic nun at the Ashram in India

"Guilt's just your ego's way of tricking you into thinking that you're making moral progress.

Don't fall for it, my dear."

Oh What a Day is Today

I am one very very sad panda as my camera is no longer functioning. This means there are no pictures from the phenomenal Ingrid Michaelson concert at ArtsFest last night. I missed the Matt Morris (not Morrison as I originally posted) show, but Ingrid made up for it ten-fold. She was very funny interacting with the audience.

Specifically a cute little 4 year old named Jacqueline who was sporting spray-on pink hair. She did a rendition of "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga and "Toxic" by Brittany Spears. (There were accompanying dance moves...awesomeness)

The band seemed like a very tight knit group of people, two of them were actually engaged to be married in a few weeks. So the concert was a great time and I can't wait to see her perform again (she had to censor herself onstage because it was a "family show" so I'm looking forward to Ingrid Michaelson: Uncensored and swearing like a sailor)

Afterward we went to Peters Pub for a drink, and then on my way home I ran into (not over) the neighborhood calico who high-fived me. Just darling.

Today I'm planning to go back to ArtsFest to see the exhibits, and possibly pick up a piece to decorate my sparse-looking bedroom walls. Later on we're going to SingSing, a dueling pianos bar, which is always a hilarious time.

<3

Hardly Workin' Part Deux

Son of a NUTCRACKER!!!!

Another week of work postponed.

However, I do have a treatment plan to review in order to make myself somewhat useful.

Also, Three Rivers Arts Festival is this week, so maybe I'll just hang out among the vendors and soak in all the creativity.

Last year I saw The Wailers (as in Bob Marley and...) at Artsfest and this Thursday Matt Morrison will be performing followed by Ingrid Michaelson so I'm really excited for that. Matt Morrison was the guy who did the Hallelujah duet with Justin Timberlake for the concert for Haiti. Very pretty man with a very pretty voice <3

Download it. Listen to it. Love it.

Woo!

Just got my work schedule!

Starting next week I may contribute to society like a normal person.

In about 7 months I may be able to afford a new camera with which to post photos on this pretty little blog.

Gotta love "non-traditional" hours

<3

I Like to Move It Move It

Alright!

Pickin' up the pace!

I've finally stopped playing dead!

Wednesday: Ice cream w/ Angela

Thursday: 3 mile walk + gut-wrenching Greys

Friday: Vision boarding then out for a drinky-poo with Holly

Saturday: Strip District w/ Holly, Waterfront with Angela

Sunday: Shadyside Arts Festival, 40 minute walk, concoct Vegan Overnight Oats a la Oh She glows for tomorrows breakfast

After hiding in my apartment until 9pm on Friday night, I decided enough was enough.

It's not like I was in bed the whole time, mind you. I did spend most of the day creating a very large vision board for the devastatingly blank wall in my bedroom.

However, when I left my apartment to go all the way to the front stoop, I figured I had be antisocial for long enough.

I wound up going out for a drink with a good friend from FeelGood, and we had made plans to hit The Strip District the following morning. (Hooray for leaving the house before noon!!!!!)

Later that afternoon, I went flip-flop shopping and to dinner at Bravos with a different friend and we braved the ensuing monsoon that hit The Waterfront that afternoon.

I finally purchased a new juicer. It's not quite as effective as my old(broken) one, but it did the trick, and is MUCH cheaper than the $200 juicer I've had a crush on.

In the spirit of using this time to focus on being healthier I've stumbled across some awesome wellness blogs and websites.

Oh She Glows

Crazy Sexy Life

Spoiled Yogi

Of course there's always many more, but these have been my current obsessions.

Also? I've had Stephen Lynch's "Craig" Stuck in my head all day and have resorted to inserting "Cait" into the lyrics. Evidently my newfound social freedom has yet to have any effect on my sanity.

Where will you be when the Cait machine comes partying through?

Hardly Workin'

I was originally supposed to do my training for work Thursday, but it was rescheduled to next FRIDAY due to a mix up. Which means one more week of NOTHING!

Lately my days have been super exciting:

Sleep till 11

make a smoothie

watch Gilmore Girls

read cookbooks/surf the web

watch trashy tv

shower

do laundry/housework

more trashy tv

leave my cave around 4-5pm to do random errands

make dinner

more trashy tv

back to bed

I think it is evident that I don't do very well without a schedule. Earlier in the week I figured that with all this newfound free time I could start a new healthy eating routine. I just brought my juicer back from home and bought lots of fresh juicing materials (cukes, celery, carrots, leafy greens, tomatoes, herbs, etc)

I concocted one very fresh, delicious and green juice. Then I tried to get one step ahead and get it all clean for the following day, buuuuut I broke it when putting it back together :-(

SO now I have a fridge full of random veggies waiting for me to find recipes for them, or to purchase a new juicer (not cheap).

Ah well, I still have my books to fall back on. Started Eat Pray Love yesterday and am devouring every word that clever lady composes.

Happy Weekend!

Just Another Manic Monday

So this is what I did last Monday...

It's Been One Week...

Wow.

The past week and a half consisted of:

Two job offers

One accepted job offer

One attended graduation

One skipped graduation

One barefoot walk across the stage to acquire

One fake diploma

One very awesome weekend visit from family

One very pretty pair of pearl earrings

One sparkly diamond necklace

One gifted trip to Seattle (to take place this summer)

One jump out of a tiny airplane

One successfully opened parachute

One leap of faith that led to

One destroyed friendship

One trip home and back

and

One healing girls night out with my amazing friends.

Just recently graduated and the amount of change happening is overwhelming.

and is insane. Some of it has been devastating, but most of it has been good.

I'm going to a wedding in New Haven, Connecticut this weekend and I start training for my TSS job next Thursday.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with all this time.

I have a number of books I want to read this summer, and some yoga studios to check out.

Hopefully the rest of this transition will be peaceful...so...

Peace!

Grrrrr

So far, two interviews and all I have to show for it is a background checking company that continues to stalk me for W2 forms and references upon references.

Listen people, I'm 22 frickin' years old, didn't work through much of college, my high school employer went out of business... I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE REFERENCES!!!!!!!!

OK that's a lie.

I could give you the many names of my many friends and family members to tell you I've never been arrested, but you don't WANT friends and family members!

Employers, you are SO high maintenance.

Take a darn breath!

On the bright side, as a kind of chance happening, the teacher of my Leadership Seminar thought I e-mailed him about a job at the school I volunteer at (I didn't), but I told him I was interested in it anyway. I sent him my resume yesterday, but he's out of the country for the week. The position as I understand it would be to creep in step-by-step as a guidance counselor of sorts, as the current guidance counselor retires.

At first I was like "Yay! A job! With a school I love! With a wickedcool boss! Weeeee!"

But now as I'm getting more into the swing of things with my volunteer work (with some awesome kindergartners) I'm getting more and more pumped about having the opportunity to actually help the rugrats.

I find myself researching coping strategies for children managing stress, and I look forward to speaking with them the next day about it.

I'm catching on to what makes them tick, and it's surprisingly exciting.

I've had the inkling for a long time now that there's more to kids than what meets the eye. I think I probably felt that way even as a kid myself.

It's a shame when I hear other adults talking about the children as if they're not even in the room, or catching them talking down to the kids like they're beneath them.

Frankly, there' s absolutely nothing more in tune and honest than a child. They deserve to have their voice heard and understood.

They deserve to know that their feelings are there for a reason, and that their voice should have a place within that world which dictates their every minute. I think as a pseudo-counselor for these kids, I could help them realize just that.

However, that's almost enough ranting for one posting. This is my last week of undergrad classes, and I have about 7 papers due this week. I DID move into my new apartment (which I love) and will be writing about it in the near future...perhaps after finals.

So for now, I bid you kids adieu.

xxoo

What an Interesting Question, Barbara

Image from somewhere on google...Babs interviewing Carla Bruni

This week has been INSANE!!! Although I can't really complain because it was my first crazy week of the semester, and also because I was a thorough waste of life last weekend.

I had major exams on Monday and Wednesday, an assignment and a job interview on Tuesday, a quiz and a 10-12 page paper due on Thursday. I'm feeling pretty good about everything ESPECIALLY the interview.

I had meant to go shopping for interview clothes over the weekend, because most of my nice clothes are leftover from either high school or my sorority days. So Monday evening in the midst of assignment-doing and exam-studying, I took a break to go Express to pick up something remotely classy.

I'm learning a few things along this job-hunting quest...here's a few:

1. ASK. FOR. HELP. This came in handy at Express when I had under an hour to find an outfit and not a clue how to go about it. The salespeople are there for a reason. In the end, think about what Dermot Mulroney (as escort Nick Mercer) said in the movie The Wedding Date: "If you look people in the eye, they won't notice what you're wearing."
2. Yes, everybody puts LOTS of pressure on making a good impression during an interview: don't arrive too early, don't be late, ask THEM questions, don't interrupt, be informed, don't ask about money, find out more about the position, iron your undies (jk), shake hands, not too hard--not too soft! There are SO many things to think about! Its easy to forget why you're their in the first place! I've eased myself into the experience by pretending I'm being interviewed by Barbara Walters. Just present yourself in your best light, the way you would want millions of tv viewers to see you. Ok, so that seems like it would add pressure, but if you just be YOURSELF, and they aren't diggin' it, you probably won't like being there anyway, no?
3. Take this time to interview them come armed with questions. If not to ask verbally, then to note inside your own pretty little head. You're not the only one who has to pass the test, they need to pass as well.
4. If you don't know the location of the interview, take the time the day before to do a drive-by. If I didn't do this I would have been about 45 minutes late thanks to 2 major exits having detours.

There's more to come, I'll post them as soon as I learn them :-)

Tomorrow...

I sign my lease!

Which is good news not only because I can start moving, but also because my mother and I had a deal that if I start making progress on this whole getting my life together thing, SHE will start making progress on QUITTING the cancer sticks.

Also? I have one solid interview, and one pending interview for next week. Both for the position of TSS.

Weeee!!!!

Baby Steps Lead to a Crib

Slowly but surely, progress is being made.

After packing up an entire room last Tuesday I came down with some fierce kind of cold-allergy-business that knocked me out for the week.

It was a combo of this nastiness plus shouting over music while out with my friends on Friday night that has me without a voice today.

For some reason I felt that Day 1 without a voice (Saturday) was the best day to get down to business and call all my potential future landlords to see if I could look at the apartments that they listed on Craigslist. They all probably thought their potential future tenant was a little old lady...or man...

Anyway, because it was the weekend, I left many many raspy-voiced messages, but I did get a few real people on the line. One was available to show an apartment on Sunday! The apartment was great and I e-mailed him later that day to seal the deal. They're e-mailing me the lease to look over, and I'm handing in my deposit tomorrow!

About the Apartment:

It is on the 3rd floor-- a far cry from the basements I've lived in for the past 3 years

LOTS of light/windows

Odd colored walls

In Squirrel Hill, near the major business section and the busline

(walking distance from a yoga studio!!!!)

pictures to come!

Well I'm Not Paralyzed But I Seem To Be Struck By...Step 2

Stepping stone number two is that which guides me into a place to live.

Here's the thing... for quite a bit now my parents have been encouraging (pressuring, convincing) me into the idea of purchasing a house here in Pittsburgh. They think it will be a wise move if I don't plan on leaving for at least 5 years.

So I went to discuss this with a realtor who was a very nice lady. She gave me the number of someone who can get me pre-approved for a mortgage. That wound up pretty fruitless. Although I have plenty of collateral/assets to my name, thanks to various unfortunate circumstances, unless I have proof of income for the next three years, I cannot get pre-approved.

Frick.

So I spent the earlier part of this semester focused on this house-buying business, only to find out it's not possible to without a job, which, as seen in the previous post, is a pain in the pa-toot to acquire.

So now my next move is to start looking for apartments.

I've found the most useful resource in the past to be craigslist. Unfortunately, due to the academic calendar, the apartment market seems to have dried up a bit. Already today I've read 3 e-mails stating that apartments I had hoped to look out were already leased out.

I really want to stay in a central area, not in the middle of nowhere, and hopefully in a safe neighborhood. To be super-ambitious, I want off-street parking, pet-friendly, dishwasher, laundry, two bedrooms and a roof please.

Thinking about everything that has to be done has been unbelievably overwhelming. Sometimes the thought of it makes me feel paralyzed and want to hide under the covers until it's all over. Even though I know I have my parents and family to help back me up, it is still really easy to feel alone.

When I'm almost done with being paralyzed, I either have a meltdown or *do* something.

Both outlets have their own benefits, but doing something proactive like e-mailing a potential new landlord, or revamping my resume gives a sense of satisfaction to go along with a feeling of relief.

My parents have already set a date for movers to come which is April 16th I believe. So today's paralysis relief was going to the liquor store for wine and boxes to start packing up my plethora of crap.

Cheers!

Step 1- Job Hunting

Spring Break is over! The end is near. May 1st. RUN AWAY!

There are a number of stepping stones that lead me across this limbo between pregrad and postgrad. Three major ones are at the forefront of my thinking.

1. Find a place to live

2. Get a job

3. Graduate

Seems simple yes? Not so much. The graduating part will be a breeze, but the rest of it is slightly more difficult.

Let's begin with the employment stone.

A few weeks ago we had a career fair at school where I doled out my resume to a few places. It seems the main positions for a psych graduate in this area is Therapeutic Staff Support and Teacher/Counselors. I went to one table that I had researched already at the advisement of my academic advisor (how bout that!?) The people seemed to really enjoy their work and they asked for my resume, and for me to fill out an application when I got home.

Well... surprise surprise!

I had already done that AND had it with me! So I gave it to them with my resume, and received their information in return. They reacted very positively to that forward-thinking gesture, or so I thought. I haven't heard anything back yet! I'm going to follow up later this week.

I don't think job hunting is the situation to be all "he's just not that into you" so I'm going to keep at it until something is set in stone.

Mama Needs a New Pair of Pants!

Dear Future Employer:

I am writing to inform you of what is in store after you hire me. I will most likely never be seen without some residual cat, dog, horse or rabbit hair somewhere on my person. It's not that I don't care or try it just sneaks up on me! Sometimes from within a sleeve, and other times because I can rarely resist petting a puppy. We may have met today at the career fair. In which case I'm sorry, I think I missed the memo on the skirt/suit/high heel uniform that my co-students were waltzing around in. However, lets take this as a learning experience. If you hire me, I promise to use my first paycheck to purchase some amazing duds. Also, even though I may not be the most stylish of your employees, I can guarantee you that I will work hard and be a breath of fresh air.

Sincerely

Your Future Employee of the Year.

Hello, Good Evening, and Welcome

Today I

began filling out job applications, printing resumes, and composing cover letters. You see, I'm graduating on May 1st from the University of Pittsburgh. I'm graduating on May 1st with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, a related area in Natural Science, and a Leadership Certificate (whatever that means). I'm graduating on May 1st with no idea where I'll be working, or where I'll be living. After 16 years of school, on May 1st, I graduate.

Graduate...

Does it still look like a real word? It has to! It has to, because I'll be diving fully-educated-brain-filled-noggin-first into the real world, it only makes sense that a real word is what gets me there. I came into university being undecided, and it seems that's how I'm leaving it. There's so many things that I want to do and accomplish, but right now, I just want to pass"GO" and collect however many dollars that entails to keep me living indoors. That is my to-do list, and this blog will chronicle the process and hopefully keep me accountable.

I told you that I graduate May 1st, but did I also mention that my lease is up April 30th?

Yes. Lots to do, and not that much time to do it in.

Image via CollegeHumor